


In The Past

by Katsudonace



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Camping, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Break Up, Tales of Vesperia AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-16 11:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13635357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katsudonace/pseuds/Katsudonace
Summary: Lance and Keith are new knights of the Capitol and are tasked to complete their first mission together. However, a bit of history and bad blood has caused a small rift between them on their journey.





	In The Past

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the third place winner, [cheritsundere](http://cheritsundere.tumblr.com/), of [my main's](http://keithphantom.tumblr.com/) 500 follower giveaway. Cheritsundere wants a Tales of Vesperia Fusion with Keith as Yuri and Lance as Flynn. This takes place at the start of the Tales of Vesperia movie. NOTHING BAD HAPPENS AND THEY CONTINUE TO STAY TOGETHER, OKAY?
> 
> Huge thanks to [lancesgalaxy](http://lancesgalaxy.tumblr.com/) and [angst-in-space](http://angst-in-space.tumblr.com/) for betaing!

Lance had always been a light sleeper. He didn’t know why that was, but it had always been the case. Maybe it was because of where they were, in the middle of a forest close to where the monster raids were happening, or maybe it was due to something else, something more personal. Rolling onto his side, Lance looked at the bedroll across from his where Keith had camped for the night on the other side of the campfire. Keith was spread out as he always was, blanket kicked off, arms and feet splayed out without a care, all the while snoring loudly. Their mounts were a few feet away, sleeping as well. It seemed as if everyone was getting a good sleep except for Lance.

With a sigh, Lance rose to his feet. He knew he shouldn’t. They’d patched things up somewhat after their fight over what happened in the Lower Quarters after the Capitol was attacked, but their relationship now wasn’t anywhere close to what it was then. He still felt as if Keith was angry at him for joining the Imperial Knights, as if Lance had chosen them over him. The two of them had evolved into an easy friendship, but it had only led them right back to where they started when Lance had first moved to Zaphias, before Keith’s dad died. Still, Keith seemed hesitant to restart any romance that had kindled between them in the past. After what Lance had done, he didn’t blame him.

If Keith knew that Lance planned to sleep on his side of the camp, he’d probably be angry. Keith was a sound sleeper, though, and Lance reasoned that he wouldn’t even know, so he settled down, easily fitting into the space that Keith’s splayed arms made. He cushioned his head on Keith’s chest, closing his eyes. Lance felt relaxed being next to Keith, breathing in his scent. It was slightly different after becoming an Imperial Knight, no more dirt from the Lower District or wood from the odd jobs he did while trying to make ends meet. It was more metallic from his armor and sweat from riding all day, but it was still Keith.

The slow rising and falling of Keith’s chest began to lull Lance to sleep, but he was disturbed by sudden movement underneath him. “Oh, _now_ you need me,” Keith’s voice said sarcastically, and Lance screwed his eyes shut, hoping that he could pretend that he was asleep to avoid the conversation. “Lance, I know you’re awake. This isn’t the first time we’ve slept together, you know.”

“Fine,” Lance said, sitting up so he could look down at Keith. His hair was growing out, creating a black pool of hair at the base of Keith’s neck, which looked pale in the moonlight, while his violet eyes started up at Lance with quiet contempt. “I’m awake.” Lance ran a tan-skinned hand through his own dark brown hair. His blue eyes flickered away, knowing that blush was going to arise if he looked at Keith like that any longer. “And I’ve always needed you. Don’t pretend like I didn’t ask you to come with me.”

“You didn’t ask me to come with you.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keith shift, propping himself up on his elbow. “You felt sorry for me, and when I said no, that I didn’t want to be an Imperial Knight after they let my dad die, you went anyway. What was it? You wanted some glory finally? Thought that you could get it if you joined the knights?”

Lance gripped at the fabric of his pajamas, balling it up in his fingers. “I joined to save people! I didn’t want any more people to end up like your dad. Only, you were too caught up in your own self-hatred to even begin to understand why I wanted to fight. This was easy for you. Commander Shirogane just gave you a free pass into the Imperial Knights. I had to work myself to the bone to be half as good as you, and you still breezed right in on a whim!”

Rubbing at his eyes, Lance was beginning to panic. He hadn’t meant to say that, but the lack of sleep over their journey to the rendezvous with the others had gotten to him. The words were vile, products of his own insecurities and how conflicted he was on what to do. All Lance wanted to do was the right thing, but Keith always made him question where the line was, forced him to see the gray areas that he didn’t want to exist.

“Sorry,” Lance said, turning so that his back was to Keith, who probably hated him now. “I’ll just-” He cut himself off when he felt Keith drape himself over Lance’s back, nestling his head into the crook of his neck. Keith’s arms wrapped around him, causing Lance to inhale sharply, because he hadn’t realized how much he missed this until now.

“Don’t go,” Keith said, pressing a kiss into Lance’s neck. “I didn’t know you felt that way.” His grip tightened around Lance’s waist. “I didn’t know I made you feel that way.” Tilting his head as much as he could, Lance looked at him. Keith stared back with a frown. “Why didn’t you tell me that was the reason why you joined the Imperial Knight? Lance, I-” Keith closed his eyes to regain composure. “I would have understood.”

“Now you’re going to lie to me?” Lance ran a hand through Keith’s hair. “I know you really still don’t understand. You’re fighting because it’s what Commander Shirogane said you should do.” His fingers stopped as Keith stiffened, glancing away quickly. “Not that that’s a bad thing. It’s what we’re expected to do. I think you just need to find something to fight for.”

Keith tilted his head then mumbled into Lance’s neck, “We all can’t be champions of justice like you.” Then suddenly, Lance was falling back, pulled by Keith back onto the bedroll. Lance laughed loudly, feeling like they were back in the Lower Quarter, when it was just the two of them and nothing was weighing them down. He then turned in Keith’s arms so that their chests were touching. “Let’s get some rest,” Keith said, brushing some hair out of Lance’s eyes. “We both know how you need your beauty sleep.”

“I’m beautiful with or without sleep, and don’t you forget it.” Lance rested his head on Keith’s chest, breathing in his scent again, feeling his eyes growing heavy. It didn’t help that Keith had begun to card his fingers through Lance’s hair, making him grow even sleepier. “Promise that we won’t ever be separated again. Promise that no matter what, we’ll stay like this and fight on the same side forever.”

Silence stretched between them with only the sound of some chirping from the insects in the trees above could be heard. It was serene, which only made Lance begin to fall asleep quicker. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Lance heard Keith’s quiet words. “I promise, Lance. We’ll never fight again. I swear.” As Lance heard them, a small smile spread across his face, allowing him to drift off into a peaceful sleep, until the morning came and they could ride towards their mission once more.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on my writing journal at [KatsudonAce](https://katsudonace.tumblr.com/) or on my main at [Keithphantom](http://keithphantom.tumblr.com/).


End file.
